MARCH 13, 2020 • VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 5
Farm Bureau Press A PEEK INSIDE
STAY IN THE KNOW Log on for the March 19 virtual field trip to address surface water irrigation issues. To register, visit http://bit.ly/Farm-Surface-WaterIrrigation-Aquifer-Virtual-Field-Trip The deadline for Arkansas Ag the Classroom Teacher Award nominations is April 1. For more information and the nomination form, visit www.arfb. com/pages/education. The April 21 field day at the Livestock and Forestry Research Station near Batesville is putting the focus on heifers. Deadline to register is April 17. To register, call (870) 793-7432. The deadline for Arkansas Century Farm applications is May 31. For more information, contact Contact Mary Elizabeth Lea at 501-219-6363 or maryelizabeth.lea@agriculture.arkansas.gov visit www.agriculture.arkansas. gov/arkansas-century-farm-program.
New Service Enlists Texting to Aid Crop Production, page 2
Farm State of Mind Campaign, page 3
FOLLOW US ONLINE 4-H Donation | Arkansas Farm Bureau EVP Warren Carter was proud to present a $10,000 check to Arkansas 4-H board members (from left) Judy Riley, Treasurer; Dr. Martha Ray Sartor, Secretary; and Dr. Darlene Millard, Interim Assoc. Director FCS & 4-H.
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A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
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NEW SERVICE ENLISTS TEXTING TO AID CROP PRODUCTION
Your phone could become your best tool for managing weeds, soil fertility and crops.
On March 9, specialists rolled out the Extension Row Crop Text Message Update service enabling subscribers to receive just-in-time information about crop production needs. There is no cost for the service, but messaging and data rates may apply, depending on carrier or contract, said Tommy Butts, extension weed scientist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. To sign up for the service, text one of the following keywords to 69922: • Cotton • Fieldcorn — all one word • Rice • Soil
• Sorghum • Soybean • Weeds • Wheat
Users may sign up for as many subjects as they’d like; however, they need to send separate text messages with each keyword. To opt out, simply reply STOP to cancel. Text HELP if assistance with the messages is needed. Terms and privacy notice here: slkt.io/5eSz For questions on the UAEX Row Crop Text Message Updates, contact Butts at tbutts@uaex.edu. Two-way communication The system also allows two-way communication. “If you ever have a question regarding a message sent,
Soybean Reception | Arkansas Farm Bureau members at the Friday evening event to honor new United Soybean Board Chairman Jim Carroll III of Moro. He is the first Arkansan to serve as chairman of United Soybean Board. The reception was held as part of the Commodity Classic in San Antonio.
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you can reply directly to the text message,” he said. “The responses will only be visible to the extension specialists, and we will reply on a one-on-one personal basis.” Timely advice The specialists see texting as the quickest way to get information to growers. Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, has been using texts to keep growers, consultants, agents and others apprised of production situations. This new service expands that reach. “We are striving to be more and more timely,” Hardke said Butts said that for example, “right now, burndown applications are going out. If all of a sudden the temperature cools off, the herbicides’ effect will cool off too. We would text a message that might say ‘temps are dropping, be careful with your herbicide application now.’” Butts said “we can also send picture messages if it’s something real specific, such as what damage from paraquat drift on rice looks like.” Hardke said, “the sooner growers and consultants have that information in making their decisions, the more likely they’ll be able to incorporate that into their operations.” To learn more about crop production, visit uaex.edu or call your county extension office.
Stone County Garden Grant | Jason Kaufman (left), ArFB education coordinator, presented a $500 garden grant to Kristy Verser (right), EAST (Education Advanced Through Service and Technology) teacher at Mountain View High School. Students will use the grant to create a school garden and several were on hand for the presentation, along with Stone County Farm Bureau agency manager Shane McElroy (second from right).
A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
FARM STATE OF MIND CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND IMPACT IN RURAL MENTAL HEALTH March is Stress Awareness Month. Bayer and the American Farm Bureau Federation have announced Farm Bureau’s leadership role with Bayer’s Farm State of Mind campaign, an initiative to raise mental health awareness among the farming community. The campaign aims to reduce stigma surrounding the topic of mental health in rural communities and to provide relevant information to farm families on this important topic. Farm Bureau plans to combine the Farm State of Mind assets with those of its ongoing Rural Resilience campaign, expanding the reach and effectiveness of its rural mental health initiatives. Challenging weather, destructive pests, trade disputes, labor shortages and market volatility over the past few years have brought an unprecedented level of pressure on America’s farmers. A 2019 Farm Bureau survey shows that an overwhelming majority of farmers and farmworkers say financial issues, farm or business problems and fear of losing their farm negatively impact their mental health. In addition, 48% of rural adults said they are personally experiencing more mental health challenges than they were a year ago. Nearly one in three farmers doesn’t feel comfortable talking to friends or family members about solutions for a mental health condition. “As a third-generation farmer, I’m familiar with the stress of farm life, and I’ve heard heartbreaking stories as I’ve traveled the country about warning signs missed and loved ones lost,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “We’d like to thank Bayer for taking the initiative around this important topic and are excited to expand our impact by growing this campaign to connect even more farmers and ranchers with the resources they need.”
Complicating this issue is that many farmers are reluctant to talk about the effects of stress or seek help. The Farm State of Mind initiative provides farmers with resources, encourages conversations and reduces the stigma surrounding the issue of mental health. Transitioning this program to an organization as trusted as Farm Bureau will greatly expand its reach and effectiveness among farmers. “Bayer recognized the need to help raise awareness on the important issue of mental health in farm communities – these are difficult conversations to have and our heart goes out to those individuals and families who have been impacted. That’s why we developed the Farm State of Mind campaign,” says Lisa Safarian, president of Bayer Crop Science for North America. “It was important for us to provide information and resources on the topic to those who needed it, but we quickly realized that this issue is much bigger than any one single company and no group is better positioned than Farm Bureau to take the lead on this campaign to help realize its full potential.” The campaign is designed to encourage an open dialogue among farmers through social channels and offers a variety of tips, resources and referrals to address mental health needs. Farm State of Mind has already reached millions of farmers across the country and that number continues to grow. Bayer is also providing Farm Bureau with a financial contribution to help support the transition and future success of the Farm State of Mind campaign. Find more information on Farm State of Mind here. Find more information on Rural Resilience here. The combination of the awareness campaigns is expected to be completed by April 2020.
A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
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MARKET NEWS as of March 11, 2019 Contact Brandy Carroll 501-228-1268 brandy.carroll@arfb.com
FSA DEADLINE FOR ARC AND PLC ENROLLMENT IS MARCH 15 Producers who have not yet enrolled in ARC or PLC for 2019 need to make an appointment to begin the enrollment process prior to March 15. Farmers can also enroll for 2020 during the same visit but have until June 30 to finalize 2020 elections. The 2018 farm bill provides a one-time opportunity to update PLC payment yields, which could prove beneficial to producers. Cattle Cattle futures have largely followed the stock market over the past few weeks as the world wrestles with the impact of coronavirus, charting huge losses in the process. The April live contract has taken approximately $24 off the market since the end of January and is now trading at the lowest level in many years. The market has support for now at Monday’s low of $102.75, but it is impossible to say where the bottom will be. Packer margins remain solid as cutout values have been increasing. Feb. 1 feedlot inventory was the largest in 12 years, so supplies are adequate for the time being. Feeder futures are also in a steep downtrend, with futures setting a new low on an almost daily basis. Hogs Hog futures continue to be under pressure, but the market is currently trading in a more sideways pattern. The market is concerned about 4
demand, especially from China as coronavirus continues to spread. The most-active April contract has support at the recent low of $61 and is working to build on that. However, there is technical resistance above $67, and this market could retest the low if export demand doesn’t improve.
of $12.69. The initial USDA supply/ demand projections for rice paint a bearish picture, especially if the weather cooperates. Acreage is projected to be up over 600,000 acres and production is forecast to be up 47.8 million hundredweight, resulting in the highest ending stocks number in over 20 years.
Corn Corn futures have moved to new lows this week, proving that this market has not yet found the bottom. Carryover weakness from outside markets as coronavirus is declared a “global pandemic” by the World Health Organization is the driving force behind the weakness and has been for weeks. USDA made almost no changes in the March supply/ demand report, only lowering the average 2019-20 on-farm price estimate by 5 cents to $3.80. The 2019-20 carryout remains 1.892 billion bushels. The initial USDA acreage estimate of 94 million acres, up from 89.7 million a year ago, will continue to weigh on new-crop futures. So far, the forecast isn’t great for planting progress in the south, but that won’t affect the market unless significant planting delays are seen in the Mid-west, too. Old crop May futures have support at the recent low of $3.65¾ and resistance at the recent high of $3.86 ¾, while new-crop December set a new low of $3.74 early this week. Resistance will begin at $3.86¾ for December as well.
Soybeans Soybean futures have charted a new leg down. November has previously found support at $9 but gapped below that level on Monday and is now testing the $8.85 level. A close below that level would signal a retest of the May 2019 spike low of $8.74¾. The data coming out of USDA’s annual Outlook Forum was not particularly bullish for soybean prices. Soybean acreage is estimated to be 85 million acres, up from 76.1 million, and soybean prices are expected to average $8.80 per bushel. The large Brazilian crop and worry about coronavirus and when China will begin to buy beans continue to be the focus of the market.
Rice The trade in rice futures has been erratic over the past couple of weeks. Initially rice futures weren’t hit as hard by coronavirus fears as others, possibly due to its position as a food staple for much of the world’s population. However, May looks to have topped out at the 5½-year high of $13.98. A sharp sell-off over three sessions took over 80 cents off the market. The market has, for now, found support at Monday’s low
A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
Cotton The coronavirus and its potential impact on demand for cotton sent new-crop December into a tailspin that resulted in a 9-cent drop in prices in 7 trading days. The market found support at 61 cents but failed at resistance at 66 cents and is now retesting the 61 cent low as the market has begun to follow the wild swings in the stock market more closely. Weekly export sales have remained solid despite worries of large cancellations and coronavirus. China has been a small but consistent buyer of U.S. cotton over the past few weeks.
EDITOR Ashley Wallace ashley.wallace@arfb.com